Compare towns
Ashland vs Bow vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ashland | Bow | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,183Lowest |
8,335 |
8,479Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.3±11.2Highest about the NH average |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
| Ashland and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.8%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
| Bow and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$2,254±$249Highest 51% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,961Lowest 26% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Below poverty line | 21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Ashland School District | Bow School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.